Diamonds are forever
by anglobear1337
Summary: Cora recieves a letter regarding the health of her mother, so she decides to travel to New York with her maid. The journey isn't exactly how Cora imagined it, and the two women must fight for their survival.
1. Chapter 1

Sarah O'Brien sighed as she closed the clasp on her suitcase. It contained only a couple of items - a spare dress, an extra pair of shoes, a few pieces of night time wear, a small photo frame containing a picture of her mother and father on their wedding day. She wouldn't need much else, surely? She scowled to herself as she put on her coat and hat, picked up the battered old case and made her way down the servants stair case.

Cora had summoned her a few days ago, much to her confusion. She'd dressed her lady for the day and gone about her morning duties, not expecting to have to tend to Cora until that evening. It was Mrs Hughes' face appearing in the yard during her routine cigarette break that had ruffled her feathers at first.

"Her Ladyship has rung for you, Miss O'Brien."

"What, now?"

"Yes, now." She'd received a stern glare from the housekeeper, and being unable to gather the strength for an argument with the Scottish witch, she crushed her half smoked cigarette out on the wall and stomped up the stairs to her Ladyship's bedroom. She knocked lazily on the door, waiting for the usual 'come in!' before stepping inside.

"You rang, m'lady?"

"Ah, O'Brien." Cora Crawley. O'Brien stopped her urge to roll her eyes at the sickly sweet tone of her voice. She was stood at her dressing table, a piece of paper in her hand. "Yes, I'm sorry if I've interrupted you-" O'Brien was suddenly conscious of the cigarette smell lingering on her. "- but there's something I need to discuss with you. It's seems my mother has been taken ill..." She held up the letter in her hand. Cora paused for a second, her fingers tracing over the paper. "I've booked tickets to New York for next week... Luckily Lord Grantham knows a man down south who was able to get last minute ones for us. I don't believe it'll take that long to get there, not with these new ships. We set sail on Wednesday from Southampton, so be ready to leave Downton on Monday morning... I don't want to risk being late."

And just like that, her future was decided. She gotten to work immediately, sorting Cora's belongings out for the long journey. She'd always wanted to travel, even as a child she'd dreamt of sailing away to magical, foreign lands of wonder. She never, however, imagined that she'd be tied to a Countess, waiting on her every wish and command. She'd always assumed travel would give her a sense of freedom, and yet here she was, feeling more trapped than ever.

"All packed then, Miss O'Brien?" She popped her head into the servants hall. It was Anna who spoke, and O'Brien felt a dozen pair of eyes on her.

"Yes, we are."

"Oh, I envy you. I'd love to go to America!" Daisy squeaked from the table as she cleared away few stray plates. "I'd be terrified though, everything's huge, int'it? How will you cope over there? What if they can't understand you? What if you get lost, I heard they just use numbers for street names!"

"Numbers?" William frowned.

"Yeah, like one hundred and fifty two street and tha'. So strange!"

There was a grumble of agreement.

"I think yer' forgetting that Her Ladyship is actually American, so I don't think that'll be too much trouble for us." O'Brien resisted to urge to roll her eyes. Idiots.

"Well, I'm sure Miss O'Brien will take excellent care of Her Ladyship, that's all that matters." said Carson, his thick brows crossing as he looked to O'Brien.

"Don't worry, I always do."

After a last minute check, and a few soppy goodbyes outside on Cora's part, both women were tucked up in the back of the car, the first stage of their long, gruelling journey on its way.

"Get yourself comfortable, O'Brien." Cora smiled, pulling a book from the small traveling bag O'Brien had packed. "It's going to be a while before we arrive in Southampton."

She was right. The journey took longer than O'Brien anticipated, and she had to stop herself several times from groaning in irritation at the numbness of her backside. She was only relieved of the car ride when she felt a gentle tug on her elbow.

"O'Brien? O'Brien, wake up. We're here."

O'Brien pulled her cheek off the glass of the window, rubbing her eyes gingerly. She was thankful that the rumbling of the engine had gone, and all most desperately she opened the door of the car, holding it open for her Ladyship. She reached out her arm for Cora to take, and she carefully aided the Countess to her feet. She busied herself with a gentleman in a smart naval uniform who was inquiring about their tickets and their luggage. It took a good couple of minutes, but before long their belongings were being boarded. O'Brien turned her attention back to Cora, who was stood staring at...

She let out a small gasp, her eyes struggling to adjust to the sight before her. An iron beast of such massiveness greeted her. How had she missed it? Perhaps it had joined the sky, and her eyes simply not picked up on the huge metal contraption. She'd never seen anything like it, and she was sure her mouth had fell agape in wonder.

"Oh, O'Brien... How magnificent is it?"

She simply nodded at Cora's words.

"The R.M.S Titanic..." Cora flashed a smile at her, taking her playfully by the arm and pulling her towards the passenger boarding area. "This part of our trip won't be as uncomfortable, thankfully!"


	2. Chapter 2

For once, Sarah thought, Cora seemed right. Her eyes darted over the side of the ramp as they climbed towards the entrance of the vessel. There were hundred of faces looking up, waving to presumably friends and family who had already boarded and were hanging over the rails, peering down through the steam. A jolt of fear shot through her as her gaze switched, looking past Cora's head and sticking onto the huge metallic monster. It made her feel slightly dizzy, and never had she felt so small and insignificant. She glanced at Cora nervously, swallowing hard as they reached the top.

"Good morning, madam. Welcome to Titanic."

She heard Cora busy herself with the officer.

"If you'd like to follow this gentleman, Lady Grantham, he shall show you to your suite."

They followed a young man to their suite, which was just as grand, if not more, as some of the rooms in Downton. The last of their luggage was being carried into a side room. O'Brien peered into the room, nodding a small thanks to the the last of the men as they made their exit from the suite. Luckily, they hadn't packed much. Well, she hadn't. Cora's cases were full to the brim with dresses and shoes and hats, and god knows what else she thought important to bring.

"This is the main lounge, my lady." she heard their guide saying to Cora. "Your bedroom is just there," his voice was traveling around, obviously showing Cora each room. "This is your maids rooms, and there are two storage rooms for your belongings. It's White Star Line policy that each room has a sufficient amount of lifejackets for its passengers, but I wouldn't worry about that. This door leads outside, to your private deck area. If you have any questions regarding your voyage, my lady, please do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you." She heard Cora say, and the gentleman left. O'Brien took off her coat and hat and began her work on sorting the luggage out. She found it very difficult to get excited over her room. She doubted very much that it would be much different to to her room back at Downton - small and grim. It was better than nothing, she supposed. She had visions of her being shoved in a cage like room in third class... Or even worse, steerage. A small shiver ran down her spine. Technically, she wasn't a first class passenger, or even a second. But she certainly wasn't going to be seen dead down there! She snorted to herself, closing the door of the closest as she finished sorting Cora's clothes out. Steerage!

"O'Brien? Would you come here?"

Her eyes did a last swoop of the now tidy room before she went back into the main room, but Cora wasn't there. Her gaze flickered to the door which led outside, now stood ajar. She made her way not the deck, the salty ocean air hitting her in the face. Cora was stood at the railings, gazing out into the distance. She turned to look at O'Brien as she approached, flashing her a small smile.

"All finished?" Yes you, daft cow. While you've been out here admiring the sea, I've been sorting all of your bloody clothes!

"Yes, m'lady, everything's been put away."

Cora said nothing else, but turned back to gaze outwardly again. O'Brien turned to look, too. There was complete open space, miles and miles of nothing but ocean. There was an occasional sparkle from the evening sunlight bouncing off the surface, but that was it. She never thought she'd see anything as big as the ship they were on, but even the ship seemed tiny compared to the sheer openness of the ocean.

"It does give one a sense of complete insignificance, doesn't it?" O'Brien said nothing, glancing quickly at Cora as she spoke. "I do love voyages, though the Atlantic air is a bit too cold for my taste." The Countess hummed pleasantly before turning back to O'Brien. "Have you ever traveled by ship before, O'Brien?"

"No, m'lady." she responded, shaking her head.

"Really? What a shame... I can't wait for you to see New York, it's such a change from Yorkshire." She flashed O'Brien another smile. Another silence fell between them. Cora seemed deep in thought, perhaps reliving memories of her childhood home. O'Brien stood awkwardly, not wanting to disturb Cora's trail of thought. She pushed her attention back to the horizon, a sudden influx of memories and visions of Yorkshire and Downton spilling into her mind. Perhaps this is what Cora enjoyed so much... The openness of the ocean seemed to wipe her brain of any current concerns or worries, and she instead delved into memories of the past. What a strange feeling!

Her eyes snapped back to Cora as she suddenly turned to her maid and gave a small sigh.

"I won't be getting changed tonight, O'Brien... First night of a voyage, and all... J. J. Astor has invited me to dine with him and his wife, so take the evening to yourself." She patted O'Brien fondly on the arm and made for the door back inside. She paused just before entering. "And O'Brien... I wouldn't wander too far, either. The stewards on these kind of ships can be stricter than Mr Carson." And she was gone.

O'Brien watched her go, a small frown appearing on her face. A night to herself?! What exactly was she supposed to do with herself stuck in this room? She couldn't exactly go into the first class bar for a drink, and she would be damned if she went down into third! Lady's maid to the Countess of Grantham drinking in third class!

She paused her trail of thought. What on earth was she thinking? She was working class, just like all of the people in third class. She was exactly the same as all of them... A feeling of shame suddenly hit her. She could see her fathers disappointed face. Oh god, Sarah O'Brien. All these years of being surrounded by Lords and Ladies, jewels and diamonds had pulled a fake veil over her eyes. Cora saw nothing more than the services she paid O'Brien for. They weren't the same, and they certainty weren't friends.

It was still a little early , so she went back to her room and retrieved her cigarettes, lighting one up when she was back by the railing on their deck. She inhaled deeply, leaning to peer over the edge. A couple of drinks couldn't hurt, and she had no little jobs to do. Everything she'd packed for Cora had been new or undamaged. And Cora had told her to have the evening to herself. She smirked smugly to herself at the thought of everyone at Downton seeing her now.

She waited until the sun had disappeared over the horizon, flicked her cigarette over the side and made her way back inside. She didn't have a clue where to go, so she was going to have to wing the journey down to third class. Surprisingly, it didn't take her very long. No one stopped her on her way, and she presumed her black, unimpressive dress allowed her to pass by unnoticed. Only returning to first class worried her... They probably didn't stop people going down a class or two.

It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for. The bar was small and dark with only of couple of people sat around the room. Not one of them paid her an ounce of attention as she approached the bar. The barman nodded to her.

"Is that a lady's maid uniform I see there?" he said, watching her as she perched herself on a bar stool.

"It might be." she replied, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Hmm... Let me guess then..." he turned away from her, reaching for a glass. "Whiskey?"

She nodded curiously and the barman flashed a smile at her as he poured her a drink and put it in front of her. He held out a hand, which she took carefully.

"Sidney Alexander at your service." He put his elbows on the bar, watching her with interest. She gave a tiny nod, placing a few coins on the counter. "Tell you what, you tell me your name and we'll call that payment."

"I can pay for my own drinks, you know!" she shot, throwing him a glare.

"No doubt about that, miss." He stared pointedly at her, a playful grin appearing on his face. Urgh! She scowled at him, before giving in.

"Sarah O'Brien."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Sarah O'Brien."

She put the glass to her lips and took a small swig. The liquid burned her throat, but it had been a while since she'd last had it, and she was glad for the feeling.

"How did you know?"

"About the dress? I used to work as a valet in Oxfordshire, I'd know that uniform anywhere."

"And now you're a barman?"

He smiled. "Now I'm a barman." He picked up a dirty pint glass and started to clean it with the rag that had been slung over her shoulder. He gave a small shrug. "Tough times, we all have to make our own way, don't we?"

"We do indeed." She took another small sip.

"So what brings you down here? Most servants wouldn't dare step foot in anything lower than first class."

It was her time to shrug. "I'm not a first class passenger, am I?"

"Ahh, keeping to your roots?"

"Something like that."

Sidney's attention was stolen by a couple of passengers who'd entered the bar, and O'Brien noticed the room becoming busier with every hour. After a few more drinks, she gave Sidney a nod goodbye and made her way back up to first class. She was stopped only once by a gruff looking steward who did actually remind her of Carson. After explaining herself he finally allowed her to pass, and she hurriedly returned to their suite. Cora wasn't back yet, so O'Brien decided to treat herself to a last cigarette. She lit it up, leaning over the railing. The temperature had decreased rapidly, and she found herself shivering in the Atlantic air. So this is what Cora had meant earlier. She heard a door closing inside and turned to see Cora peering out at her.

"Ah, O'Brien... you're still awake. I thought you may have gone to bed." She stepped out onto the deck, pulling her shawl around her. "Did you enjoy your evening?" she asked, standing beside O'Brien at the railing.

"I did, m'lady..." She quickly exhaled the cigarette smoke that had caught in her lungs, and stubbed the cigarette out. "Sorry."

Cora shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"Don't apologise. So what did you get up to?"

"I only went for drink, nothing too exciting I'm afraid."

"Oh? It sounds more exciting than my evening." she sighed, peering out into the darkness. She rolled her eyes when O'Briens quizzical expression liked at her. "They're all more or less the same... The evenings, I mean. I was excited to leave for New York because it's where I grew up... I don't know, it'd be nice to go back to how life was when I was a child for a few days. No boring dinners or false small talk with people who don't even care." She shrugged her shoulders, letting out a small sigh. O'Brien watched her, a little unsure of what to say.

"Well... It's only for a few more days, m'lady. When you get back to New York I'm sure you'll feel much better." Cora flashed her an appreciative smile. "Now let's get you out of the cold, m'lady. We don't want you arriving back in New York with a cold now, do we?"

Thank you for reading up to now! This chapter is a little slow, and more or less just a filler, so hopefully the next few chapters will be a little more action packed! ;) I do apologise if there are any factual errors, as I'm not an expert on Titanic policies/rules sadly! Cheers very much for your lovely reviews too, as always, they make my day! :D

L xx


	3. Chapter 3

The days began to roll in to each other, and O'Brien found herself feeling restless and bored, caged up like a wild animal. She could see a routine developing; she'd get up, dress Cora for breakfast, have a cigarette, dress Cora for lunch, have a cigarette, dress Cora for dinner, have a cigarette and then maybe travel back down to the bar in third class, which wasn't as fun as she'd first imagined it to be. She had a few hurried conversations with the barman, Sidney, but there was nothing traded of great interest. He was nice enough, but didn't really stimulate her brain too much. She took to staying in the suite, a book Cora had given her propped open on her knee. Each night Cora returned, a little less bounce in her step, a little less life in her smile.

O'Brien was sat in her room, back resting against the headboard of her bed. The book was on her lap, but the words were meaningless on the page. She'd been on the same page for the last half an hour, her mind unable to concentrate. Her legs twitched with irritation, and she snapped the book shut, flinging it onto the tiny table squashed in the corner. She half wished she was back at Downton. At least there she constantly had something to do, people to talk to. Cora was gone most of the time, and so she found herself longing for some proper conversation. She missed her cigarette breaks in the yard with Thomas when the two of them would gossip under the veil of smoke, eyes darting wildly around in case they were overheard. She rubbed her eyes in frustration, letting out a great sigh. She got up off her bed, pulling out a cigarette as she made her way outside. Her eyes glanced to the clock as she passed through the sitting room. 11 o'clock... It was still early. Cora probably wouldn't be back for another hour or two.

She took her usual spot by the railings, lighting up and savouring the taste of the cigarette in her throat. The freezing air was slightly refreshing on her skin, and it seemed to blow away her previous irritation of restlessness. The winters in Yorkshire could be brutal, but this air was piercingly cold. She could almost feel ice particles forming in her lungs as she took each drag of her cigarette. She'd never felt a chill quite like it, so she quickly finished her smoke and flicked the bud over the side into the blackness before turning to go back inside. A slick shiver ran through her as she closed the door, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them. The door leading to the corridor suddenly opened, and Cora's face appeared around it. She had the same expression as the previous night - tired and weary.

"Oh, hello O'Brien. I didn't think you'd be here." She clasped the door shut, turning to flash a small welcoming smile at her maid.

"I decided to stay here tonight, m'lady. I hope you don't mind." O'Brien moved towards Cora, helping her with her coat and hat. Cora uttered a small 'thanks' as O'Brien put them away.

"Of course I don't mind. In fact, I'm glad to have caught you."

"Oh?" O'Brien entered the room again. Cora collapsed onto the couch, rubbing her neck sorely. She glanced up at O'Brien, sighing tiredly.

"I had to excuse myself early tonight, I don't think I could have sat for another second with going completely mad." She gave a small laugh. "I'm afraid my patience for small talk with those people has run dry. You wouldn't believe how bored I was! It think I'd rather have afternoon tea with the Dowager on a bad day, I think."

O'Brien offered her an amused smile.

"Would you like some tea, m'lady?"

Cora paused for a second, before surprisingly, she shook her head and stood up.

"No, not tea... Wait here a minute, O'Brien."

She disappeared into her room, leaving O'Brien stood there in confusion. What was the bloody woman doing now? Her question was answered almost immediately as Cora entered the room again, a golden bottle in one arm and two glasses in the other. She placed them down on the wooden table and turned to look at O'Brien with a small smile on her face. She dropped into one of the chairs, her gaze locked on her maid.

O'Brien didn't know how to feel... Dumbfounded that this woman who depended on her to brush her hair and dress her was able to sneak a bottle of brandy past her usually watchful gaze, or impressed for exactly the same reason. She tried to hide her questioning gaze, but Cora obviously detected it.

"I'm not completely hopeless." she said playfully, unscrewing the lid to the bottle and pouring the golden liquid into the two glasses. O'Brien stood, unsure of what Cora wanted her to do.

"For heavens sake, sit down O'Brien." she said with a tiny chuckle. O'Brien sat, and Cora pushed a glass towards her across the small table. "You're not going to pretend you're a stranger to brandy, are you?"

O'Brien shook her head.

"No, m'lady." She remained still, and Cora rolled her eyes, giving the glass a small push closer to O'Briens hands. What was happening? Cora was usually so proper... She never thought she'd be sat opposite her sharing a bottle of brandy with her. She watched as Cora put the glass the her lips, and copied her action. It tasted much better than the obviously cheaper whiskey from the third class bar.

"What's this in aid of, m'lady?" she asked as Cora took another sip. The Countess gave a small shrug, flashing a smile at O'Brien from behind her glass.

"I don't know... Now's a better time than any to get to know each other better, I suppose. And I don't think I could get through a whole bottle and survive." she tapped the bottle of brandy on the table, placing her glass down. She studied O'Brien for a second before reaching across from her chair to one of the counters. She pulled a small box off it, and O'Brien watched as she placed a pile of cards on the table. "Can you play?" she asked, shuffling the cards in her long hands. O'Brien nodded, taking another sip of her drink. Cora began to sort the cards out, sliding a couple over the shiny wooden surface towards the maid.

"I'm afraid I'm not very good." Cora said, rolling her eyes slightly. O'Brien shuffled her cards in her hand, a small smile appearing on her face. She looked up to see Cora finish her glass of brandy off, and raised an eyebrow. Cora caught her eye and laughed gently, shrugging her shoulders again. "It was a really boring evening, O'Brien."

O'Brien let out a laugh of her own, shaking her head.

"I'm not judging, m'lady." She lifted her own glass up and drained it dry, keeping her eyes firmly on Cora's. Cora raised her own eyebrows, her smile turning into a grin as she unscrewed the lid of the bottle again and refilled their glasses.

They started their game, and O'Brien realised soon that Cora wasn't lying about her skill. She had grown up with these kind of games as a child, playing with her brothers and parents, so she was fairly confident in her ability. The laughter between them increased as the amount of liquid in the bottle got lower and lower, the room became stiflingly hot.

"Oh..." O'Brien lay her cards down on the table. "You seem to have won, O'Brien." Cora put her own cards down. "Well done... And thank you for at least pretending I wasn't so dreadful at the game."

"It's quite alright, m'lady." O'Brien laughed, shuffling the cards neatly back into a pile.

"Perhaps when we get back to Downton we could play a little more. You could teach me a few tricks."

"Certainly, m'lady."

Cora rubbed her neck, stretching in her arms out in front of her.

"My, it is hot, don't you think?" Cora pushed herself to her feet, and the two women made their way out side, the cold air soothing on O'Briens face. She held the door open for the countess, following her over to the railing. She knew how cold it was from their breathe on the black backdrop of the ocean, but the brandy seemed to be warming her blood, shielding her slightly from the ice particles in the air. They stood in silence for a few moments, staring out into the darkness.

"Are you looking forward to seeing your mother, m'lady?"

"Yes, of course." Cora paused for a second. "I... I do hope she's alright."

"I'm sure she is, m'lady."

"We've never always seen eye to eye... I couldn't wait to get away from her when I was of age. I wish I'd of made more of an effort to see her over the years."

"You're making an effort now, m'lady. You've had your own girls to look after, and the whole of Downton to run... I'm sure your mother understands."

Cora flashed her a lopsided smile.

"I don't say it often enough... But I really do appreciate your work, O'Brien. And your company. Especially you company." She squeezed O'Briens hand gently.

Her reply was on the tip of her tongue, but something just past Cora's ear stole her attention. Cora frowned at the sudden loss of concentration on O'Brien face. Her expression turned fearful though, and Cora spun round.

"Oh my god..."

Huge, sparkling but so menacing looking that it caused Cora to back into O'Brien in panic. The most enormous block of ice was towering over them, glaring down at them. O'Brien felt like some sort of tiny creature of prey, the iceberg her hunter, her killer. She felt Cora's hand clasp tightly around her own as the floor beneath them shuddered, and a terrifying screeching sound fell all around them. O'Brien stumbled, and Cora's hand slipped from her own as another loud noise fell crashing around them. Giant pieces of the white beast rained down on them as the ship scraped along the side of it, crashing onto the polished wood. She heard Cora cry out, and as O'Brien threw her arms over her head, she saw Cora go down with a thud.

"M'LADY!"

She felt a giant thump on her head and she staggered again as the pain sent her head spinning. She lunged towards Cora, who was lying on the floor, a small trickle of blood seeping down her cheek, but felt her foot collide with something on the floor. She lost her balance on something slippery, perhaps a piece of ice, and went flying into the wooden panels of the deck. She felt the wood crush into her head, and she gasped at the sudden impact. She could feel her sight darkening, and her limbs became heavy.

"M'lady...!" She fought for breath, desperately reaching out her hand to Cora's seemingly lifeless body. But it was no use, she was too far away. Her nails scratched at the wood as a last desperate attempt to reach the Countess before the darkness surrounded her vision, and her body fell still.


	4. Chapter 4

"Sarah, wake up darling... Sarah? Your father's waiting for you outside."

Her mothers face swam before her, and she blinked up at her from the floor.

"Mother?"

"Come on darling, get up." Her mothers voice sounded faint, pillowed, as if Sarah's hearing wasn't working. Everything was heavy and foggy, she couldn't move an inch. She stared up at her mother, who was leaning over her.

"Hurry up, Miss O'Brien!" Another face appeared above her. Thomas. "You're taking your bloody time, now get up!"

She gasped loudly, her eyes flickering open. She winced as a searing pain shot through her, the side of her face thumping hard against the wooden panels of the deck floor. She blinked, trying to regain some sense of reality. Painfully, she rolled herself onto her back, coughing as the cold air picked at her throat. O'Brien lay still for a moment, trying to ignore the swirling and thrashing in her skull. She could taste blood in her mouth, and she tentatively lifted a finger to her lips. She groaned in irritation and her fingertips brushed across the swollen, throbbing wound, evidence of where her head had crashed into the floor. The coldness of her own touch seemed to awaken her slightly, and she was suddenly aware of how cold she was. Her toes felt like blocks of ice...

She suddenly came rearing back to live, like as if a small fire had been relit in her brain. The iceberg! Panic shot through her, and she rolled over onto her stomach. Cora was laying feet away, still waiting unmoving. O'Brien could see blood running down her cheek, now dried in the freezing night air. She pushed herself against the hard floor unsteadily, staggering as she got to her feet. She stumbled towards Cora, careful this time not to trip over the stray pieces of ice that littered the deck.

"M'lady? Can you hear me?" she croaked as she took hold of Cora's head. She ran a finger over the dried stain of blood, which didn't seem to be as bad as she thought. She gently tapped her ice cold fingers on Cora's face, using all the strength she could muster to shake her sleeping mistress awake. Cora stirred, though only slightly. A small mumble escaped her darkening lips.

"O'Brien..." Her head lolled to the side again, and O'Brien shivered helplessly. How long bad they been out here? Judging by the temperature of her fingers and Cora's cheek, too long. She looked around desperately. The couldn't stay put here any longer if they wanted to keep their toes.

"Come on, m'lady, let's get you inside..." She pulled one of Cora's arms over her shoulder, and grasping the railing for balance, pulled Cora to her feet unsteadily. The sudden movement caused Cora to awaken further, and she groaned in pain as she tried to steady herself against O'Brien. They slowly made their way across the deck, but O'Brien was finding it increasingly difficult to navigate them. Every step seemed slightly unbalanced, and she felt dizzy trying to focus on the door. She heard Cora whimper as she pulled the door open and they both staggered into the suite. The dizziness didn't go away as she carefully put Cora down on the couch. She crouched down to catch her breath, looking up to Cora's face. The Countess closed her eyes, a shaking hand resting on the side of her head where the bloodied trail led. Their small journey seemed to have knocked her back into the moment, and she glanced up at her maid through half closed eyes.

"I'm going to get some help, m'lady, alright?" O'Brien muttered, standing up. She felt Cora's hand wrap around her wrist quickly, stopping her from turning away.

"Don't... Stay here, I don't want to be alone-"

"I'll be as quick as I can, m'lady, you need a Doctor. I promise I won't be long." There was a pause, and Cora's terrified face simply stared back up at her. O'Brien squeezed her hand gently, hoping it was enough to reassure her. "I promise I'll be back." Cora nodded, and O'Brien felt her fingers slip from her grasp. She staggered over to the door and flung it open. She almost stumbled into the opposite wall. She must of really hit her head... She still felt unbalanced and dizzy, and she inhaled deeply in hope that the air would align her mind and her feet again.

She looked up and down the corridor, but it was deserted. It was late, so she assumed the other passengers were asleep in their beds. Where would she find a doctor at this time? She took another deep breath and made her way down the corridor, keeping a hand on the wall for extra balance. The was a slight panic building in her stomach with every step she took. The wound on Cora's head didn't seem too serious, but she was still worried and determined to find someone to help.

Her thoughts were cut short, and she stopped in the corridor, a frown on her face. Her fear had caused her to completely miss the several open doors along the way. She doubled back, carefully glancing inside one to find it empty. One of the chairs, identical to one she herself had sat at only a few hours ago, lay toppled over on the floor. Her stomach churned as a strange, uneasy feeling fell over her.

"Miss! What are you doing here?" She spun around to see a steward half running towards her. "All passengers are required to go up to the top deck immediately!"

"W-what? No, you don't understand-"

"Why haven't you got your lifejacket on? There should have been some in your room. Put your life jacket on and get to the top deck!"

He was hurrying past her, in a somewhat panic, and O'Brien felt her words fail her. She stood against the wall, her heart hammering in her chest. The steward disappeared down the corridor, and again she was alone. Why would she need a lifejacket on? Why would they need to get to the top deck? Then she felt as though a huge weight crashed into her stomach. She pushed herself off the wall, running down the corridor back to their suite. She burst through the door, and Cora gasped in surprise.

"O'Brien, what-"

She ignored her, flinging the door leading outside open and running to the railings. She looked over desperately, and an ice cold feeling or terror rose within her. No wonder she felt so off balance! Her knuckles turned white as her eyes raked down the front of the ship, it's nose dipped into the darkness of the ocean. The ship was sinking, and they'd been out here the deck for god knows how long...

"Oh my god..."

She lunged across the deck, almost taking the door off its hinges as she threw herself into the room. Cora sat in shock, confusion etched over her pale face. O'Brien moved beside her, taking her freezing hand in her own.

"Get up, m'lady, quick!" She pulled Cora to her feet.

"What are you doing, O'Brien? Where's the doctor-?"

"We have to go, now! Come on!" She pulled Cora across the room, her fear driving her.

"O'Brien! Stop! What's going on?!"

"The ship is sinking, m'lady! The iceberg we saw - out on the deck!" She stopped to look at Cora, whose face was shining with fear. "The corridor is deserted, they're telling all passengers to go up to the lifeboats!" She let go of Cora's hand, running into the storage room. Cora was silent, obviously trying to comprehend O'Briens words. She rummaged through the closet, her trembling hands flinging dresses and shoes aside, until she found what she was looking for.

"Here, put this on." She threw the lifejacket over Cora's head, who didn't fight. The fear in O'Briens voice terrified her, and she stood in complete shock as O'Brien fastened the material tightly around her. She put on her own lifejacket and took Cora by the hand again. She pulled her into the corridor and turned to look at her mistress. "The steward said to go up to the top deck, that's where the lifeboats are." She pulled Cora up the corridor, the backs of her legs aching slightly as they moved. Cora's grip was tight on O'Briens hands, and she could feel the Countess trembling beside her. O'Brien had a faint idea of where she was going, but most of her journeys had been downwards, towards third class, and she wanted to avoid going down as much as possible.

"Do you know how to get up to the top deck?" she asked, pausing at the end of the corridor, looking hopefully at Cora. She shook her head, and they stood looking down both sides, which were equally deserted.

"The dining room is that way," Cora said timidly, pointing down one side. "Maybe we could find someone down there to help us?"

It was the only choice they had, so O'Brien nodded and they moved down the corridor. O'Briens ears were perked up, determined to catch any sound that would lead them in the right direction. The lights suddenly flickered, and the two women froze as an awful mechanical noise surrounded them. They were plunged into darkness as the ship seemed to groan and heave, and O'Brien could hear Cora's panicked breathing.

"What's that?" she breathed, her grip tightening. O'Brien shook her head, trying to ignore the ball of terror growing in her chest. The lights flickered on again, and the ships cry ceased.

"Come on..." She pulled Cora on, the desperation to get out of the long corridors growing with every step. They came to a pair of doors, and Cora nodded at her. Her ears caught the sound of voices, some shouting, some crying, and she pushed open the doors leading to the dining room. There were a few people dotted around, but O'Brien ignored them, dragging Cora across the room. The tables were leaning slightly, and a few of the chairs had come free from their positions. She glanced at Cora, whose eyes were on the dispositioned furniture. Where to now? Cora's geography of the ship had served its purpose, and O'Brien was lost as to which direction would be best to take.

She caught sight of a staircase through the opening of a pair of glass doors, and tugged at Cora's hand.

"The main staircase," Cora gasped as they burst through. She felt Cora stagger into her as someone sprinted passed them, and a few screams caused O'Brien to spin round quickly. Her mouth fell open in terror. The icy blue Atlantic water was rushing towards them from a corridor just off the main hall. She heard Cora cry out as it hit their ankles, causing O'Brien to stumble over. It washed over her, stabbing at her very soul and shaking her to the very core. It felt like pure ice on her skin, and for a second she was frozen.

"O'Brien!" Cora's cry awakened her again, and she felt Cora pulling at her arm. They heaved themselves onto the first ledge on the staircase, slipping against the marble. Her breath caught in her throat as the water continued to ravage the main hall, and they watched as a couple of bodies disappeared beneath the surface. The water lapped at them again, and O'Brien staggered to her feet, dragging Cora away from rising water.

"Climb the stairs, climb the stairs! Don't stop!" The two women ran for the next set of stairs. They heard more screams from below them, and the rush of water echoed up the centre of the spiral staircase. The climbed and climbed, and O'Brien could feel her freezing dress sticking to her. Her legs seared with pain with every step, and she almost collapsed when they got to the top. Cora leant against the banister, closing her eyes for a second as she tried to catch her breath. O'Brien peered over the staircase, looking down to see the water down the staircase climbing slowly towards them. Cora peered over too, but looked away quickly.

"O'Brien..."

"Come on." Not letting go of her hand, she pulled Cora through the door leading to the top deck. They were met with chaos.

Hundreds of faces, all holding the same fearful expression, were swarming over the deck. She tightened her grip on Cora, trying to look over the many heads for any sign of open lifeboats. There was a sudden push, and they were separated. Their fingers slipped from each other, and O'Brien tried to turn back, but it was pointless. The people between them pushed them further apart, and she fought to squeeze between them. She could hear Cora crying out behind the wall of people.

"O'Brien! O'Brien!" She could hear the panic in her voice, and O'Briens heart erupted into her throat. She growled as she pushed again, trying desperately to get between the crowd and return to Cora's side. It was complete chaos. There were people screaming and shouting all around her. Cora's shouts were becoming fainter and fainter, and the ball of terror in her chest was threatening to explode in her. She clawed through the crowd in desperation, ruthlessly shoving people out the way.

"M'LADY!" She spotted her in the sea of faces, her cheeks tear stained and her lip trembling. Their eyes locked, and Cora desperately threw out a hand to O'Brien, who reached out her own through the crowd. Their fingers locked, and O'Brien pulled Cora towards her. The Countess fell into O'Brien, curling into her chest and grabbing the straps on her lifejacket in a desperate attempt lock them closer together. The shuffle of the crowd had moved them along the deck, and O'Brien backed them into small alcove, just out of the path of the crowd. Cora was crying into her chest, clinging desperately to her. O'Brien wrapped her arms around her, pulling her tightly into an embrace.

"Oh, O'Brien, I thought you'd gone, I c - couldn't see you and - and I was a - all alone-" Cora sobbed into her chest.

"Shh, it's alright, I'm here, it's alright." O'Brien looked around desperately. What now? They were safe in this small alcove for now, but the danger was literally minutes away. Her hope was flickering away with every minute. She couldn't see where they were supposed to go now.

"Miss O'Brien?" She looked up to see the barman from third class looking down at her. He looked a little worse for wear, but he'd managed to get himself a life jacket.

"Sidney?" She pulled Cora up, who watched Sidney timidly.

"What are you doing there? Why aren't you on a lifeboat yet?" he asked, his gaze flickering to Cora for a second. O'Brien shook her head.

"It's a long story."

"Well, you need to get yourselves over to the other side of the ship. You won't find anything of use over here, the last of the lifeboats are on that side. You might be able to board one there!"

"What about you?"

"I'll be alright," he said, flashing her a small smile and showing her a flask in his hand. "Always prepared. Now go on, get going!" He shielded the two women from the crowd, guiding them towards a small set of stairs. Cora went first, and as O'Brien went to follow, Sidney suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Here," he pulled another small flask from his jacket pocket and shoved it into her hands. "If you end up in the water... Try and drink that before you go in."

She took the flask in her freezing hands.

"Thank you."

He flashed her a smile. "You can give that flask back to me in New York." He gave her a small wink, and before she could say another word, he had melted into the crowd. She tucked the bottle into the pocket on her dress and turned back to Cora who was stood waiting right behind her. They joined hands again, and moved across the other side of the ship, where the crowd wasn't as thick. They stood looking over the crowd, scanning for any sign of an empty lifeboat.

"I don't see anything," Cora said to her. "There's no boats, Sarah, there's nothing here!" She gasped suddenly as the floor beneath them jolted. O'Brien turned to look back at the front of the ship, which was now below the surface of the water. The steepness of the wooden floor below them caused O'Brien to grab hold of the railing. She looked over the crowd desperately again.

"Listen..." She turned Cora to face her. "There's no boats left on the ship. We're gong to have to swim out to them, alright?"

"Swim out to them?" Cora echoed, her eyes wide with fear.

"Yes. Here..." She took the flask out and unscrewed the lid. She passed it to Cora, who took it with trembling hands. "Drink it!" She took a swig, and pushed it back into O'Briens hands. She put it to her own lips and took a swig. It burned to back of her throat as she put the flask back inside her pocket. "You're not gong to let go of my hand, alright? I'm gong to be right here, I promise." Cora nodded, gasping for breath. O'Brien tightened her grip on Cora's hand. "Whatever you do, do not let go!"

"Sarah... I'm scared." Cora whispered, curling into O'Briens chest again. She wrapped her arms around her, pulling Cora closer.

"I know... I am as well." Their embrace was cut short when there was another lurch, and the floor beneath them seemed to be melting away. "We have to go now!" They staggered over towards the railing of the ship, pausing only when a deck chair went sliding past them. O'Brien grasped the cold railing, and they didn't have a second to spare to peer over. She looked quickly at Cora, whose terrified eyes were locked on her.

"Do NOT let go!" she yelled as they climbed over the railing. She clasped her free hand on the straps of Cora's life jacket, and with one last look at each other, they plunged into the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

The whole world seemed to freeze completely as her feet left the ship. Her eyes were focused on the darkness they were plunging towards, and a sudden drop in her stomach made her feel as though sue was gong to be sick. Throughout the whole journey on board the Titanic, the water had been a great unknown power that the ship had protected them from. They'd peered over the railing at it, considering it from behind a glass screen like a beast in a zoo. And now they were flying towards it, head on. They were riding into battle against the great Atlantic beast with only their freezing hands and feet, their beating hearts and their hope of survival in their arsenal. The great Atlantic beast which had tackled mans biggest machine and was, at this moment, swallowing it down into its belly.

The shock of the sudden impact with the water was the most terrible feeling Sarah O'Brien had ever felt. A thousand daggers of ice struck her, piercing every inch of skin and paralysing her bones. She was in complete darkness, and her eyes felt as though they'd completely frozen over. It was as though she'd slipped from the very surface of the earth, slipping down the icy road to the underworld.

She could feel her grip on Cora's hand loosen as her body failed to overcome the shock, but Cora's hand tightened around their slipping fingers, scratching at her knuckles. She felt Cora pull at her in desperation, her kicking legs scraping against O'Briens shins. Her nerves come alive at the pain, and her brain commanded her to fight for her survival. She robotically kicked her legs, and with the help of the lifejacket, she felt the sting of air slashing at her face as she broke the surface.

Every gasp for air felt agonising in her throat, and she felt her body spasm in terror. She was floating, immobile, her whole body in survival mode. She couldn't keep the panic from her gasps as she started to roll in the water, her brain utterly swamped in fear. And the Cora's voice came searing through, slashing away at the fogginess that had frozen her to the core.

"O'Brien! O'BRIEN!" She felt one of Cora's hands pulling at her cheek, and she felt herself being pulled steady. She breathed deeply, her eyes locking onto Cora's face. "O'Brien..." She tried to gather her mind, but the freezing water slowed everything down, and she couldn't think beyond the cold. Her eyes flickered beyond Cora's terrified face. Her brain was so shocked that she could do nothing but shake Cora, causing her to spin around.

The ship was in the air, rising and rising, higher and higher miles above them. They both stared upwards at the sight before them. There were screams in the air, and O'Brien saw someone... Something... Falling, crashing into the water with a terrible crunch.

"Swim, swim, swim!" She screamed, her frozen legs kicking desperately away from the unrecognisable ship. She kept tight hold of Cora's hand, she could feel the countess crying out beside her. "Quick, swim, swim!" She pushed for her life, half dragging Cora through the water. They swam and swam, stopping only when the screams from the ship sounded faint in the air. They turned to see the ship standing vertically, bobbing in the water pathetically. They watched from afar, frozen in complete horror as the sea slowly began to claim its prey. She felt Cora move closer to her, resting her head on O'Briens shoulder. O'Brien tightened her hold on Cora, their frozen breaths mingling and rising into to night air. They watched as the ship become less and less, and finally, it was swallowed below the surface, gone forever.

Even from their position, they could hear the increase in volume of the screams and cries from the water. In the distance, O'Brien could see the thousands of white lifejackets floating and splashing about. She glanced at Cora, whose eyes where wide and fearful. She met O'Briens gaze, and then two women simply stared at each other. Cora's lips where darkening with cold already.

"Sh... Should we s-swim out to the l-lifeboats?" Cora whispered, her hand trembling against O'Briens. She nodded shakily, squinting through there darkness. Their sense of direction seemed to have gone down with the ship. There was not a single sign of a lifeboat, and without the light, she couldn't see through the wall of complete darkness. She glanced at Cora again, who was looking to her for an answer. A sudden wave of guilt seared through her. This woman, this Countess, was relying on her, waiting for a plan to get them out of this danger, and she was clueless. The plan was to swim out to the lifeboats, but without the light from the ship, how was she to know where to swim?

There was a sudden sloshing noise behind them, and both women turned. A body bobbed in the water, floating because of the lifejacket. Other than the water, her fear of the dangers of other panicked people was one of the biggest concerns to her. She was only small, and although Cora was tall, neither women would be able to fight off a full grown man should one, in desperation, decide to use them to keep his head above water. She pulled Cora closer, her eyes raking over the shape. As it came closer though, her fear of it died, replaced instead by a sickness in her stomach. She was right in thinking it was a man, but his frozen, dead face told her he would be no danger to them. A sob escaped from Cora's mouth, and she turned her head into O'Briens neck.

"C-come on." She rested her cheek against Cora's for a second before she kicked again. If they stayed here, they were definitely going to die. If they swam out, blindly of course, they had a slight chance of coming across a returning lifeboat. She felt Cora swim beside her, and then two women moved in silence, gasping for air as the waters lapped at their faces.

With every stroke, O'Brien could feel her muscles slowing down, her brain freezing up. She could hear Cora's gasps, but after a while, the Countess began to sag behind. She fought to pull her along, determined that a boat would come into view any second. It didn't.

Her whole body felt as though it was seizing up. Her energy drained, and the strokes ceased. Cora had more or less stopped, and a tiny tug of her hand caused O'Brien to slowly turn to face her mistress. Cora's lips were black and quivering. Ice particles had formed in her usually beautiful hair and around her eyes. There was still a faint trail of the dried blood down her cheek from her head wound. O'Brien used her last ounce of strength to pull the two women together, their foreheads joining.

"Sarah..." Cora murmured through frozen lips, her eyes closing.

"I-I'm sorry, m-m'lady..." O'Brien felt her lips crack, the cut from earlier opening again. "I-I tried to keep you s-safe and I-I f-failed..."

"Shhh... Sarah," Cora's eyes flickered open, and the two women simply stared at each other, their heads still joined. "It's q-quite unfortunate th-that this should h-happen before you g-got t-to see N-new York." The tremble of her voice sent a small tear rolling down O'Briens cheek.

"I m-must say th-though... If I a-am to die b-beside a-anyone, I a-am glad it i-is with y-you." It was her turn for tears. O'Brien could feel them on her own cheek. Cora leant in, joining both pairs of trembling lips. Had they not of been so numb, and they weren't about to die in the Atlantic ocean, she would probably have appreciated Cora's gesture a whole lot more. "Thank you, S-Sarah, f-for e-every thing." Cora's eyes closed, and O'Brien could feel her own sight darkening, her body closing down.

"G-goodbye, m'l-lady." She took one last look at Cora's face, and then that was it... She was gone.

**Thanks for reading up to now! I'll have the last chapter up as soon as I can! :)**

**Lxx**


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